Cutting machine

Abstract

To provide a cutting machine which can inhibit increase in the size in a lateral direction.SOLUTION: A cutting machine 100 includes: a stocker 200 having a storage part 210 in which a workpiece is stored; a case body 10 formed with a storage area AR1 where a user stores the workpiece in the storage part 210, and an opening 11 which communicates with the storage area AR1 and is open to a predetermined opening direction; a holding part 400 which is disposed at the opposite side of the opening 11 with respect to the stocker 200 and may hold the workpiece; and a holding movement mechanism which moves the holding part 400 toward the stocker 200.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting machine. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a cutting machine that cuts a workpiece to be cut into a desired shape. This cutting machine includes a storage device, a cutting device, a transport device, and a control device. The storage device has a stocker that can store multiple disk-shaped workpieces with adapters attached. The cutting device cuts the workpieces. The transport device holds the adapter and transports the workpieces from the storage device to the cutting device. The control device transports and cuts the workpieces in accordance with a processing program.

[0003] The storage device has a storage case body in which a stocker is arranged and which has an opening formed at the front. A user can manually store workpieces in the stocker through the opening. In the above-mentioned cutting machine, the storage device and the cutting device are arranged side by side on the left and right. The transport device has a gripping unit that grips the workpieces. The gripping unit of the transport device is configured to be movable between the storage device and the cutting device, and removes the workpieces stored in the storage device's stocker and transports them to the cutting device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-170230 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As described above, in the cutting machine disclosed in Patent Document 1, the storage device and the cutting device are arranged side by side, so the cutting machine is large in size in the left-right direction. From the viewpoint of space saving, it is preferable to prevent the cutting machine from becoming large in size in the left-right direction.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and aims to provide a cutting machine that can prevent an increase in size in the left-right direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The cutting machine according to the present invention comprises a stocker, a case body, a gripper, and a gripper movement mechanism. The stocker has a storage section in which workpieces are stored. The case body has a storage area in which a user stores workpieces in the storage section, and an opening communicating with the storage area and opening in a predetermined opening direction. The gripper is disposed on the opposite side of the stocker from the opening and is capable of gripping workpieces. The gripper movement mechanism moves the gripper toward the stocker.

[0008] According to the cutting machine, for example, when a user is positioned opposite the opening of the case body, the workpiece can be stored in the stocker through the opening at the front of the stocker, and the gripper can grip and remove the workpiece stored in the storage section from the back side of the stocker. Therefore, for example, when a user is positioned opposite the opening of the case body, the gripper does not move left and right to remove the workpiece from the storage section, which prevents the cutting machine from becoming larger in size in the left and right direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cutting machine that can prevent an increase in size in the left-right direction. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective view showing a cutting machine according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a workpiece to which an adapter is attached. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the workpiece to which the adapter is attached. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the cutting machine as seen from the left. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the cutting machine as seen from the left. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the partition wall as seen from the left, and is a schematic diagram showing how the stocker moves from the storage area to the processing area. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a stocker body of the stocker. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a storage section. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the cutting machine as seen from the right. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the gripping portion and the support member. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a storage section and a grip section. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a cutting machine according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, a cutting machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not necessarily limited to the embodiments described here.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cutting machine 100 according to this embodiment. The symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings represent the front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom of the cutting machine 100, respectively. The cutting machine 100 is disposed in an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system. Here, the X-axis direction D1 is the front-to-back direction. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the X-axis direction D1 is inclined at a predetermined angle from the horizontal direction. However, the X-axis direction D1 may be horizontal. The Y-axis direction D2 is the left-to-right direction. The Z-axis direction D3 is the up-to-down direction. The Z-axis direction D3 intersects (here, is perpendicular to) the X-axis direction D1 and the Y-axis direction D2. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the Z-axis direction D3 is inclined at a predetermined angle from the vertical direction. However, the Z-axis direction D3 may be vertical. In this embodiment, the Z-axis direction D3 is an example of a first direction. The X-axis direction D1 is an example of a second direction intersecting the first direction. The above-mentioned directions are merely defined for the convenience of explanation, and do not limit the installation mode of the cutting machine 100 or the present invention in any way.

[0013] In this embodiment, the cutting machine 100 cuts a workpiece 5 (see FIG. 2 ) to produce an object. The type of object is not particularly limited, but an example is a dental crown prosthesis. Examples of dental crown prostheses include inlays, crowns, and bridges. In this embodiment, the cutting machine 100 is used in the dental field, and produces a dental crown prosthesis from the workpiece 5. However, the field in which the cutting machine 100 is used is not limited to the dental field.

[0014] 2 and 3 are a plan view and a front view, respectively, of the workpiece 5 to which the adapter 6 is attached. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the workpiece 5 has a plate shape extending in the X-axis direction D1 and the Y-axis direction D2. Here, the workpiece 5 has a disk shape. The workpiece 5 is formed from a variety of materials, such as zirconia, wax, polymethyl methacrylate resin (PMMA), hybrid resin, PEEK (polyether ether ketone resin), and gypsum. When zirconia is used as the material of the workpiece 5, for example, semi-sintered zirconia is used. However, the shape and material of the workpiece 5 are not particularly limited.

[0015] In this embodiment, the workpiece 5 is attached to the adapter 6. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, a circular fitting hole 6a is formed in the adapter 6. The workpiece 5 is attached to the adapter 6 by fitting (e.g., approximately fitting) into the fitting hole 6a. Herein, the adapter 6 is pressed down onto the workpiece 5, whereby the workpiece 5 is inserted into and fixed in the fitting hole 6a. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the workpiece 5 refers to the adapter 6 as well, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, directions such as front, back, left, right, up, and down with respect to the workpiece 5 are directions based on the state in which the workpiece 5 is accommodated in the accommodation section 210 (see FIG. 7).

[0016] As shown in Fig. 1, the cutting machine 100 includes a case body 10. The case body 10 is box-shaped and has a space inside.

[0017] 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of the cutting machine 100 as viewed from the left. 4 and 5 show a storage area AR1 and a processing area AR2 of the case body 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the case body 10 is formed with the storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2. The storage area AR1 is an area where a user stores the workpiece 5 in the storage section 210 of the stocker 200, which will be described later. For example, the user grasps the workpiece 5 with their hand and manually stores the workpiece 5 in the storage section 210 in the storage area AR1.

[0018] The processing area AR2 is an area where the cutting machine 100 cuts the workpiece 5. Here, the workpiece 5 stored in the stocker 200 in the storage area AR1 is moved to the processing area AR2, and the workpiece 5 is cut in the processing area AR2.

[0019] In this embodiment, the storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2 are arranged side by side in the Z-axis direction D3. Specifically, the storage area AR1 is arranged above the processing area AR2. However, the positional relationship between the storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2 is not particularly limited. For example, the storage area AR1 may be arranged side by side with the processing area AR2 in the X-axis direction D1, or may be arranged side by side with the processing area AR2 in the Y-axis direction D2.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the partition wall 15 as viewed from the left, and is a schematic diagram showing how the stocker 200 moves from the storage area AR1 to the processing area AR2. As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the cutting machine 100 is provided with the partition wall 15. The partition wall 15 separates the storage area AR1 from the processing area AR2. The partition wall 15 is disposed between the storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2. Here, the partition wall 15 is plate-shaped and extends in the X-axis direction D1 and the Y-axis direction D2. In this embodiment, a passage hole 16 is formed in the partition wall 15. The passage hole 16 is a hole through which the stocker 200 passes. Here, the passage hole 16 is a hole that penetrates the partition wall 15 in the Z-axis direction D3 and opens toward the Z-axis direction D3. The storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2 are in communication with each other through the passage hole 16.

[0021] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, an opening 11 is formed in the case body 10 in the storage area AR1 portion. The opening 11 opens forward in the X-axis direction D1. Here, the case body 10 is provided with a door 12 that can freely open and close the opening 11. For example, the left end of the door 12 is supported by the case body 10. The door 12 is configured to be rotatable about the left end as an axis, and by rotating the door 12 about the left end as an axis, the opening 11 can be opened and closed.

[0022] FIG. 7 is a front view showing a stocker body 201 of the stocker 200. As shown in FIG. 7, the cutting machine 100 is equipped with the stocker 200. The stocker 200 stores the workpieces 5 in the cutting machine 100 that cuts the workpieces 5. The stocker 200 can store a plurality of workpieces 5. In this embodiment, the stocker 200 can store six workpieces 5, but the number of workpieces 5 stored in the stocker 200 is not particularly limited. In FIG. 7, the stocker 200 stores four workpieces 5.

[0023] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5 , the stocker 200 includes a stocker main body 201, a stocker cover 202, and a storage section 210. The stocker main body 201 has an internal space and is open to the front and rear. The stocker main body 201 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the Z-axis direction D3. However, the shape of the stocker main body 201 is not particularly limited. As shown in FIG. 4 , the stocker cover 202 covers the stocker main body 201. In this embodiment, the stocker cover 202 has an internal space and is open at least downward. Here, the stocker main body 201 is configured to be movable in the Z-axis direction D3 relative to the stocker cover 202. For example, when the stocker main body 201 is disposed within the stocker cover 202, the stocker main body 201 is configured to be movable downward. When the stocker main body 201 moves downward, it passes through the lower opening of the stocker cover 202.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 7 , the storage sections 210 store workpieces 5. Here, one workpiece 5 is stored in one storage section 210. The storage sections 210 are arranged in the stocker main body 201. In this embodiment, multiple storage sections 210 are arranged in the stocker main body 201. The number of storage sections 210 is not particularly limited. Here, the number of storage sections 210 is six. The multiple storage sections 210 are arranged side by side in the Z-axis direction D3. The multiple storage sections 210 are arranged in a straight line extending in the Z-axis direction D3 from the storage area AR1 toward the processing area AR2. Therefore, in the stocker 200, the multiple workpieces 5 are stored side by side in the Z-axis direction D3. In the stocker 200, the multiple workpieces 5 are arranged in a straight line extending in the Z-axis direction D3.

[0025] In this embodiment, the storage section 210 is open at the front, and a user inserts and stores an object into the storage section 210 from the front of the storage section 210. When the stocker 200 is placed in the processing area AR2, the storage section 210 is open at the rear. When the stocker 200 is placed in the storage area AR1, the rear surface of the stocker cover 202 is located behind the storage section 210.

[0026] 8 is a perspective view that schematically shows the storage section 210. As shown in FIG. 8, in this embodiment, the storage section 210 has a first upper wall 221, a second upper wall 222, a first lower wall 225, and a second lower wall 226. The first upper wall 221 forms the upper left portion of the storage section 210. The second upper wall 222 forms the upper right portion of the storage section 210. Here, the first upper wall 221 and the second upper wall 222 are arranged to be spaced apart in the Y-axis direction D2. The first upper wall 221 and the second upper wall 222 extend in the X-axis direction D1.

[0027] The first lower wall 225 constitutes the lower left portion of the storage section 210. The first lower wall 225 faces the first upper wall 221 in the Z-axis direction D3 and is spaced apart from the first upper wall 221 in the Z-axis direction D3. The first lower wall 225 is disposed below (directly below, in this case) the first upper wall 221. The second lower wall 226 constitutes the lower right portion of the storage section 210. The second lower wall 226 faces the second upper wall 222 in the Z-axis direction D3 and is spaced apart from the second upper wall 222 in the Z-axis direction D3. The second lower wall 226 is disposed below (directly below, in this case) the second upper wall 222. Here, the first lower wall 225 and the second lower wall 226 are disposed spaced apart in the Y-axis direction D2. The first lower wall 225 and the second lower wall 226 extend in the X-axis direction D1.

[0028] In this embodiment, a front opening 211 is formed by being surrounded by the front ends of the first upper wall 221, the second upper wall 222, the first lower wall 225, and the second lower wall 226. The front opening 211 opens toward the front. A rear opening 212 is formed by being surrounded by the rear ends of the first upper wall 221, the second upper wall 222, the first lower wall 225, and the second lower wall 226. The rear opening 212 opens toward the rear. In this embodiment, a user inserts the workpiece 5 through the front opening 211. The workpiece 5 inserted into the storage section 210 from the front opening 211 is placed on the first lower wall 225 and the second lower wall 226. The workpiece 5 is supported by the first lower wall 225 and the second lower wall 226 and is thereby stored in the storage section 210.

[0029] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, stocker 200 is configured to be movable between storage area AR1 and processing area AR2. More specifically, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, stocker main body 201 and storage section 210 of stocker 200 are configured to be movable between storage area AR1 and processing area AR2. Stocker cover 202 is disposed in storage area AR1 and does not move to processing area AR2. In the following description, movement of stocker 200 means movement of stocker main body 201 and storage section 210.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 4, the cutting machine 100 is equipped with a movement mechanism 300. The movement mechanism 300 moves the stocker 200 between the storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2. Here, the movement mechanism 300 is configured to move the stocker 200 in the Z-axis direction D3. As shown in Fig. 6, the stocker 200 passes through the passage hole 16 of the partition wall 15 when moving between the storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2.

[0031] The configuration of the moving mechanism 300 is not particularly limited. As shown in FIG. 5 , the moving mechanism 300 includes a first guide rail 301 and a first drive motor 303. The first guide rail 301 extends in the Z-axis direction D3. Here, when the stocker 200 is placed in the storage area AR1, the first guide rail 301 is disposed in a portion of the case body 10 other than the direction from the stocker 200 toward the opening 11 (here, the direction toward the front) from the stocker 200. In this embodiment, the first guide rails 301 are disposed as a pair on both the left and right sides of the stocker 200. More specifically, the first guide rails 301 are disposed on the inner surfaces of the left and right side walls of the stocker cover 202 so as to be disposed on the left and right sides of the stocker body 201. Note that FIG. 5 shows the right first guide rail 301, and the left first guide rail 301 is omitted. The first guide rails 301 are disposed within the storage area AR1. The stocker main body 201 is engaged with a pair of first guide rails 301 .

[0032] In this embodiment, a ball screw 305 extending in the Z-axis direction D3 is provided at the rear of the stocker main body 201. The ball screw 305 is fixed to the stocker cover 202 and engages with the stocker main body 201. A nut 302 provided on the stocker main body 201 is threadedly engaged with the ball screw 305. The nut 302 is fixed to an upper part of the rear surface of the stocker main body 201. A slide hole (not shown) extending in the Z-axis direction D3 is formed in the rear surface of the stocker cover 202. The nut 302 is fixed to the stocker main body 201 through the slide hole. As shown in FIG. 4 , a first drive motor 303 is connected to the ball screw 305. When the first drive motor 303 is driven, the ball screw 305 rotates about its central axis, and the stocker main body 201 moves in the Z-axis direction D3 along the first guide rail 301. As the stocker main body 201 moves in the Z-axis direction D3, the storage section 210 moves in the Z-axis direction D3. In this way, the stocker main body 201 and the storage section 210 move between the storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2.

[0033] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the cutting machine 100 as viewed from the right. In this embodiment, the cutting machine 100 includes a gripping unit 400 (see FIG. 4) and a gripping movement mechanism 500 (see FIG. 9). FIG. 10 is a plan view of the gripping unit 400. As shown in FIG. 10, the gripping unit 400 grips the workpiece 5. Specifically, the gripping unit 400 grips the adapter 6 attached to the workpiece 5. Here, the gripping unit 400 grips the workpiece 5 during cutting, and also grips the workpiece 5 accommodated in the accommodation unit 210 of the stocker 200 and removes it from the accommodation unit 210. As shown in FIG. 4, the gripping unit 400 is disposed in the processing area AR2. The gripping unit 400 is disposed on the opposite side of the stocker 200 from the opening 11. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the gripping unit 400 is disposed behind the stocker 200 when the stocker 200 is disposed in the processing area AR2.

[0034] The shape and configuration of the gripping unit 400 are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the gripping unit 400 has a U-shape that is concave toward the rear. The gripping unit 400 has a first clamping unit 401, a second clamping unit 402, and a connecting unit 403. In the following description, the orientation of the gripping unit 400 when the first clamping unit 401 and the second clamping unit 402 are aligned in the Y-axis direction D2, as shown in FIG. 10, is used as a reference. The first clamping unit 401 is rod-shaped and extends in the X-axis direction D1. The first clamping unit 401 supports one end of the workpiece 5 in the Y-axis direction D2. Here, the first clamping unit 401 supports the left end of the workpiece 5.

[0035] The second clamping unit 402 is rod-shaped and extends in the X-axis direction D1. When the gripping unit 400 is not rotating, the second clamping unit 402 is disposed to the right of the first clamping unit 401. The second clamping unit 402 supports the other end of the workpiece 5 in the Y-axis direction D2. Here, the second clamping unit 402 supports the right end of the workpiece 5. In this embodiment, the gripping unit 400 grips the workpiece 5 by clamping both ends in the width direction of the workpiece 5 (here, both ends in the Y-axis direction D2) between the first clamping unit 401 and the second clamping unit 402.

[0036] The connecting portion 403 extends in the Y-axis direction D2 when the gripping portion 400 is not rotating. The connecting portion 403 connects the first clamping portion 401 and the second clamping portion 402. Specifically, the connecting portion 403 connects the end of the first clamping portion 401 opposite the stocker 200 to the end of the second clamping portion 402 opposite the stocker 200. In other words, one end (here, the left end) of the connecting portion 403 is connected to the rear end of the first clamping portion 401. The other end (here, the right end) of the connecting portion 403 is connected to the rear end of the second clamping portion 402.

[0037] The gripper movement mechanism 500 shown in Fig. 9 is a mechanism that moves the gripper 400 within the processing area AR2. Here, the gripper movement mechanism 500 moves the gripper 400 toward the stocker 200 (see Fig. 5) that is arranged in the processing area AR2. The gripper movement mechanism 500 also moves the gripper 400 in the X-axis direction D1.

[0038] When the stocker 200 is placed in the storage area AR1, the gripping and moving mechanism 500 is disposed in a portion of the case body 10 other than the portion facing the opening 11 from the stocker 200. The gripping and moving mechanism 500 is not disposed in the storage area AR1. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, a drive area AR3 is formed in the case body 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the drive area AR3 is disposed so as to be aligned with the processing area AR2 in the Y-axis direction D2. Here, the drive area AR3 is disposed to the right of the processing area AR2. The gripping and moving mechanism 500 is disposed in the drive area AR3. In other words, the gripping and moving mechanism 500 is disposed to the right of the stocker 200.

[0039] The configuration of the gripping / moving mechanism 500 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9 , the gripping / moving mechanism 500 includes a second guide rail 501, a second carriage 502, and a second drive motor 503. The second guide rail 501 extends in the X-axis direction D1 in the drive area AR3. Therefore, when the stocker 200 is placed in the storage area AR1, the second guide rail 501 is placed in a portion of the case body 10 other than the direction from the stocker 200 toward the opening 11 (here, the direction from the stocker 200 toward the front). Here, the second guide rails 501 are a pair, one above the other, and there are two second guide rails 501. However, the number of second guide rails 501 is not particularly limited and may be one. In this embodiment, the second guide rail 501 is an example of a guide rail of the present invention.

[0040] The second carriage 502 is slidably engaged with the second guide rail 501. The second carriage 502 is movable in the X-axis direction D1 along the second guide rail 501. As will be described in detail later, the second carriage 502 is connected to the gripping unit 400 via a second rotating shaft 522, a support member 505, and a first rotating shaft 521, as shown in FIG. 10. Therefore, the gripping unit 400 is slidable in the X-axis direction D1 relative to the second guide rail 501.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 9 , the second drive motor 503 is connected to, for example, the second carriage 502. In this embodiment, the second drive motor 503 is connected to a ball screw 504. The ball screw 504 extends in the X-axis direction D1 and engages with the second carriage 502. A nut (not shown) provided on the second carriage 502 is threadedly engaged with the ball screw 504. Here, when the second drive motor 503 is driven, the ball screw 504 rotates about its central axis, and the second carriage 502 moves in the X-axis direction D1 along the second guide rail 501. As the second guide rail 501 moves in the X-axis direction D1, the gripper 400 also moves in the X-axis direction D1. In this embodiment, the gripper movement mechanism 500 is configured to move the gripper 400 along the second guide rail 501 during cutting. Furthermore, the gripping and moving mechanism 500 is configured to move the gripping part 400 along the second guide rail 501 when the gripping part 400 grips the workpiece 5 stored in the storage part 210 .

[0042] As shown in FIG. 4, the support member 505 is disposed in the processing area AR2 and supports the gripping unit 400. Here, as shown in FIG. 10, the support member 505 has a first portion 511 extending in the Y-axis direction D2 and a second portion 512 extending in the X-axis direction D1. The first portion 511 is disposed rearward of the gripping unit 400. The first portion 511 is connected to the gripping unit 400 via a first rotating shaft 521. Here, the first rotating shaft 521 extends in the X-axis direction D1. The first rotating shaft 521 extends forward from the first portion 511 of the support member 505 and is connected to the gripping unit 400. One end of the first rotating shaft 521 is connected to the connecting portion 403 of the gripping unit 400. The other end of the first rotating shaft 521 is connected to the support member 505 (specifically, the first portion 511). Here, the gripping portion 400 is configured to be rotatable relative to the support member 505 around a first rotation shaft 521 .

[0043] The second portion 512 of the support member 505 is disposed to the right of the first portion 511 and is connected to the front portion of the right end of the first portion 511. The second portion 512 is disposed to the right of the grip portion 400 and extends forward from the first portion 511. The support member 505 is formed into an L shape by the first portion 511 and the second portion 512.

[0044] The second portion 512 of the support member 505 is connected to the second carriage 502 (see FIG. 9) via a second rotation shaft 522. As shown in FIG. 10, the second rotation shaft 522 extends in the Y-axis direction D2. The second rotation shaft 522 extends rightward from the second portion 512. One end of the second rotation shaft 522 is connected to the support member 505 (here, the second portion 512), and the other end of the second rotation shaft 522 is connected to the second carriage 502. The support member 505 is configured to be rotatable about the second rotation shaft 522. Here, when the support member 505 rotates, the gripper 400 similarly rotates about the second rotation shaft 522.

[0045] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, when the stocker 200 is disposed in the processing area AR2, the gripper 400 is disposed on one side (here, rearward) of the stocker 200 in the X-axis direction D1. The position of the gripper 400 when disposed rearward of the stocker 200 is referred to as a first position P1 (see FIG. 4). Here, the first position P1 is the position of the gripper 400 when it is disposed at the rearmost position. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, when the stocker 200 is disposed in the processing area AR2, the position of the gripper 400 when it grips the workpiece 5 stored in the storage section 210 is referred to as a second position P2. The second position P2 is located forward of the first position P1 in the X-axis direction D1. The second position P2 is the position at which the gripper 400 grips the workpiece 5 when the workpiece 5 is stored in the storage section 210. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the storage unit 210 and the gripping unit 400. Fig. 11 shows a state in which the gripping unit 400 is about to grip the workpiece 5 stored in the storage unit 210. In Fig. 11, the gripping unit 400 has moved further forward, and the position of the gripping unit 400 when it is disposed in the storage unit 210 and grips the workpiece 5 is the second position P2. In this embodiment, the gripping movement mechanism 500 shown in Fig. 9 is configured to move the gripping unit 400 between the first position P1 (see Fig. 4) and the second position P2 (see Fig. 11).

[0046] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the gripper 400 is configured to be movable in the X-axis direction D1 during cutting. As shown in FIG. 4, the gripper movement mechanism 500 is configured to move the gripper 400 a first distance D11 in the X-axis direction D1 during cutting. Furthermore, the gripper movement mechanism 500 is configured to move the gripper 400 a second distance D12 in the X-axis direction D1 when gripping the workpiece 5 stored in the storage section 210. Here, the second distance D12 is longer than the first distance D11. The first distance D11 is the distance from the first position P1 toward the front in the X-axis direction D1. The second distance D12 is the distance from the first position P1 to the second position P2. Therefore, the first distance D11 can be said to be shorter than the distance from the first position P1 to the second position P2.

[0047] Although not shown in the drawings, the processing area AR2 is provided with a spindle having a tool gripping portion that grips a rod-shaped processing tool with a cutting tool at its tip. The spindle rotates the processing tool around the central axis of the processing tool. In this embodiment, the spindle and the gripping portion 400 are configured to be movable relative to each other in three dimensions in the processing area AR2. In this embodiment, "during cutting" refers to the process of changing the relative positional relationship between the spindle and the gripping portion 400 in the processing area AR2, bringing the processing tool gripped by the tool gripping portion of the spindle into contact with a desired portion of the workpiece 5 gripped by the gripping portion 400 to cut the workpiece 5 into a desired shape.

[0048] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a cutting machine 100 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the cutting machine 100 includes a control device 110. The control device 110 controls the cutting of the workpiece 5. The control device 110 also controls the movement of the stocker 200 between the storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2, and controls the gripping of the workpiece 5 by the gripper 400. The configuration of the control device 110 is not particularly limited. The control device 110 is, for example, a microcomputer. The control device 110 includes, for example, an I / F, a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and a storage device. The control device 110 is provided inside the case body 10. However, the control device 110 may be a computer or the like installed outside the case body 10. In this case, the control device 110 is connected to the cutting machine 100 via wire or wireless communication so as to be able to communicate with the cutting machine 100.

[0049] In this embodiment, the control device 110 is communicatively connected to the movement mechanism 300 and the gripping movement mechanism 500. The control device 110 controls the movement mechanism 300 to move the stocker 200 in the Z-axis direction D3. The control device 110 controls the gripping movement mechanism 500 to move the gripper 400 in the X-axis direction D1.

[0050] In this embodiment, the control device 110 includes at least a memory unit 120, a first movement control unit 121, a second movement control unit 122, and a stocker movement control unit 123. The memory unit 120, the first movement control unit 121, the second movement control unit 122, and the stocker movement control unit 123 may be configured by software or by hardware. For example, the memory unit 120, the first movement control unit 121, the second movement control unit 122, and the stocker movement control unit 123 may be implemented by one or more processors, or may be incorporated into a circuit.

[0051] In this embodiment, when a user manually stores workpieces 5 in the storage section 210 of the stocker 200, the stocker 200 is disposed in the storage area AR1. At this time, the user first operates the door 12 (see FIG. 1 ) supported by the case body 10 to open the opening 11. This makes the storage section 210 of the stocker 200 accessible from the front through the front opening 211 (see FIG. 8 ). In this state, the user grasps the workpiece 5 with their hand, inserts the workpiece 5 into the storage section 210 through the opening 11, and stores the workpiece in the storage section 210. After storing the workpiece 5 in the storage section 210, the user closes the door 12 to close the opening 11.

[0052] Next, when cutting processing is to be started, the stocker 200 is moved from the accommodation area AR1 to the processing area AR2 as shown in Fig. 5. Here, the stocker movement control unit 123 in Fig. 12 controls the movement mechanism 300 to move the stocker 200 (more specifically, the stocker main body 201) downward, and arranges the stocker 200 in the processing area AR2 as shown in Fig. 5. With the stocker 200 arranged in the processing area AR2, the gripping unit 400 grips the workpiece 5 accommodated in the accommodation unit 210, and the workpiece 5 is removed from the accommodation unit 210.

[0053] Here, when the gripper 400 grips the workpiece 5 stored in the storage unit 210, the second movement control unit 122 moves the gripper 400 along the second guide rail 501 (see FIG. 9). More specifically, when the stocker 200 is disposed in the processing area AR2, the gripper 400 is disposed at a first position P1 (see FIG. 4) located rearward of the stocker 200. The second movement control unit 122 controls the gripper movement mechanism 500 to move the gripper 400 forward in the X-axis direction D1 by a second distance D12. As a result, the gripper 400 reaches the second position P2. At the second position P2, the gripper 400 is inserted into the storage unit 210 through the rear opening 212 (see FIG. 8) of the storage unit 210 and grips the workpiece 5 stored in the storage unit 210. At this time, the gripper 400 grips the workpiece 5 from the rear of the storage unit 210.

[0054] Thereafter, with the gripping unit 400 gripping the workpiece 5, the second movement control unit 122 controls the gripping movement mechanism 500 to move the gripping unit 400 rearward in the X-axis direction D1. As a result, the gripping unit 400, still gripping the workpiece 5, moves rearward away from the storage unit 210. As a result, the workpiece 5 is removed from the storage unit 210.

[0055] After the workpiece 5 is removed from the storage section 210, the workpiece 5 held by the gripper 400 is subjected to cutting. First, the stocker movement control section 123 in FIG. 12 controls the movement mechanism 300 to move the stocker 200 upward and place it in the storage area AR1. Then, cutting of the workpiece 5 is initiated. During cutting, the first movement control section 121 in FIG. 12 moves the gripper 400 along the second guide rail 501 (see FIG. 9). During cutting, the distance the gripper 400 can move in the X-axis direction D1 is a first distance D11 (see FIG. 4). In this embodiment, the relative positional relationship between the gripper 400 and the spindle is changed based on the processing data stored in the memory section 120, and the processing tool held by the tool gripper of the spindle is brought into contact with the workpiece 5 held by the gripper 400, thereby cutting the workpiece 5 into a desired shape.

[0056] As described above, in this embodiment, the cutting machine 100 includes a stocker 200 (see FIG. 7), a case body 10 (see FIG. 1), a gripper 400 (see FIG. 10), and a gripper movement mechanism 500 (see FIG. 9). As shown in FIG. 7, the stocker 200 has a storage section 210 in which the workpiece 5 is stored. As shown in FIG. 4, the case body 10 is formed with a storage area AR1 in which a user stores the workpiece 5 in the storage section 210, and with an opening 11 (see FIG. 1) that communicates with the storage area AR1 and opens toward a predetermined opening direction (here, forward in the X-axis direction D1). The gripper 400 is disposed on the opposite side of the stocker 200 from the opening 11 and is capable of gripping the workpiece 5. The gripper movement mechanism 500 shown in FIG. 9 moves the gripper 400 toward the stocker 200. As a result, for example, when a user is positioned opposite the opening 11 of the case body 10, the workpiece 5 can be stored in the stocker 200 through the opening 11 at the front of the stocker 200, and the gripper 400 can grip and remove the workpiece 5 stored in the storage section 210 from the rear side of the stocker 200. Therefore, for example, when a user is positioned opposite the opening 11 of the case body 10, the gripper 400 does not move in the left-right direction (here, the Y-axis direction D2) to remove the workpiece 5 from the storage section 210, and therefore, the cutting machine 100 can be prevented from becoming larger in the left-right direction.

[0057] 9 is disposed in a portion of the case body 10 other than the direction from the stocker 200 toward the opening 11 (here, the direction toward the front) when the stocker 200 is disposed in the storage area AR1. As a result, when a user attempts to store the workpiece 5 in the storage section 210 of the stocker 200 through the opening 11, the workpiece 5 can be stored in the storage section 210 without interfering with the gripping and moving mechanism 500.

[0058] 9, the gripping / moving mechanism 500 has a second guide rail 501 along which the gripping part 400 can slide. The second guide rail 501 is disposed in a portion of the case body 10 other than the direction from the stocker 200 toward the opening 11 (here, the forward direction) when the stocker 200 is disposed in the storage area AR1. This allows the user to store the workpiece 5 in the storage part 210 of the stocker 200 through the opening 11 without the workpiece 5 interfering with the second guide rail 501.

[0059] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the case body 10 is formed with a processing area AR2 in which the workpiece 5 is cut. The cutting machine 100 is equipped with a movement mechanism 300 that moves the stocker 200 between the storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2. The gripping unit 400 is disposed in the processing area AR2. This allows the stocker 200 to be moved from the storage area AR1 to the processing area AR2, and the workpiece 5 stored in the storage unit 210 to be gripped by the gripping unit 400 within the processing area AR2.

[0060] In this embodiment, the storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2 are arranged side by side in the Z-axis direction D3. The movement mechanism 300 moves the stocker 200 in the Z-axis direction D3. This allows the stocker 200 to move linearly in the Z-axis direction D3, thereby moving between the storage area AR1 and the processing area AR2.

[0061] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9 , the second guide rail 501 of the gripper movement mechanism 500 extends in the X-axis direction D1 intersecting with the Z-axis direction D3. The gripper movement mechanism 500 is configured to move the gripper 400 along the second guide rail 501 during cutting, and to move the gripper 400 along the second guide rail 501 when the gripper 400 grips the workpiece 5 stored in the storage unit 210. As shown in FIG. 12 , the control device 110 includes a first movement control unit 121 and a second movement control unit 122. The first movement control unit 121 moves the gripper 400 along the second guide rail 501 during cutting. The second movement control unit 122 moves the gripper 400 along the second guide rail 501 when the gripper 400 grips the workpiece 5 stored in the storage unit 210.

[0062] As a result, the gripping unit 400, which grips the workpiece 5 during cutting, can grip and remove the workpiece 5 stored in the storage unit 210 of the stocker 200 that has been moved to the processing area AR2. Then, cutting can be started with the gripping unit 400 gripping the workpiece 5 that has been removed from the storage unit 210. Therefore, since the gripping unit 400, which grips the workpiece 5 during cutting, can be used to remove the workpiece 5 stored in the storage unit 210, a dedicated mechanism for removing the workpiece 5 from the stocker 200 can be omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 5 Workpiece 10 Case body 100 cutting machine 110 Control device 121 First movement control section 122 Second movement control section 200 Stocker 210 Storage unit 300 Moving mechanism 400 Gripping part 500 Grip movement mechanism 501 Second guide rail (guide rail)

Claims

1. a stocker having a storage section in which workpieces are stored; a case body having a storage area formed in the storage section in which a user stores a workpiece, and an opening communicating with the storage area and opening in a predetermined opening direction; a gripping portion that is disposed on the opposite side of the stocker from the opening and that is capable of gripping a workpiece; a gripping movement mechanism that moves the gripping unit toward the stocker; Equipped with The case body is formed with a processing area where a workpiece is cut, a moving mechanism for moving the stocker between the storage area and the processing area; The gripping portion is disposed in the processing area, The storage area and the processing area are arranged side by side in a first direction, The movement mechanism linearly moves the stocker in the first direction.

2. 2. The cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein the gripping and moving mechanism is arranged in a portion of the case body other than a portion facing the opening from the stocker when the stocker is arranged in the accommodation area.

3. the gripping movement mechanism has a guide rail along which the gripping portion can slide, 3. The cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein the guide rail is arranged in a portion of the case body other than a direction from the stocker toward the opening when the stocker is arranged in the accommodation area.

4. the gripping movement mechanism includes a guide rail extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction and on which the gripping portion can slide; 4. The cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein the gripping movement mechanism is configured to move the gripping portion along the guide rail during cutting, and to move the gripping portion along the guide rail when the gripping portion grips the workpiece accommodated in the accommodation portion.

5. the gripping movement mechanism includes a guide rail extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction and on which the gripping portion can slide; A control device is provided, The control device a first movement control unit that moves the gripping unit along the guide rail during cutting; a second movement control unit that moves the gripping unit along the guide rail when the gripping unit grips the workpiece accommodated in the accommodation unit; 5. The cutting machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

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